Lateran Cross

Lateran Cross
Art	Cross of Honor
Awarded for	donation
status	is no longer awarded
Data
Foundation year	February 18, 1903
Benefactor	Cathedral chapter of the Lateran Basilica
Last award	1977
Precedence
Next higher award	Benemerenti (Pontifical Merit Medal)

The Lateran Cross ( Cross of Honor of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran ) was awarded from 1903 to 1977 as a decoration of the Catholic Church .

Award and history

In order to renovate the dilapidated Lateran Basilica in Rome , Pope Leo XIII allowed . the cathedral chapter on February 18, 1903 the award of a badge of honor for donations . The Lateran Cross was divided into three classes ( gold , silver and bronze ) according to the amount of the donation .

Even after the successful renovation of the church, the Lateran Cross was still awarded. Paul VI prohibited further awarding in 1977.

Description of the lateran cross and how it is carried

The Lateran Cross exists in different versions:

1. Greek cross with four medallions at the ends and a larger one in the middle
2. As 1. but with an ornamented ring between the four medallions and an elongated oval support member above the cross

What both have in common is the division of the medallions: Jesus Christ can be seen in the central element . In the two horizontal ones are the apostles John and John the Baptist , the patrons of the basilica, in the two verticals Peter and Paul , the patron saints of Rome. On the back, the medallions show the monograms of the sitter.

The support member, divided on the front and back, is labeled with the honorary title of the Lateran Basilica .

The lateran cross is carried by a red ribbon , which is interrupted by a narrow blue stripe near the edge on both sides.

In contrast to other decorations , the Lateran cross is worn on the right side of the chest.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Jörg C. Steiner: The Cross of Honor of the Archbasilica St. Johann vom Lateran ( DE ) In: www.ordenskunde.info . Retrieved October 31, 2015.